The local government and residents of Cantilan, Surigao del Sur expressed alarm over the continuous flooding in the area brought about by heavy rains, but which they said were worsened due to mining activities.

Cantilan Vice-Mayor Rodrigo Eleazar said, “Dahil sa mga nakukuha na mga kahoy, na ‘yon sana ang magbibigay proteksyon kung may ulan at dahil sa pag-abuso sa kabundukan, ang mga mangingisda at magsasaka ay nagdurusa tuwing umuulan.” (Because of the clearing of trees that are supposed to provide protection when it rains and because of the abuse to our mountains, the fisherfolk and farmers suffer every time it rains.”

He said that siltation from the mine sites has caused the need for more fertilizers, which have raised the costs of producing rice and drastically decreased the earnings of farmers.

“Wala na rin ang mga isda sa mga ilog dahil ang tubig ay kulay brown na,” he said. (There are also no fishes in the rivers because the water has already turned brown.)

“Sana ay matigil na ang paggiba sa kabundukan,” he pleaded. (We hope that the destruction of the mountains will stop.)

Meanwhile, Emma Hotchkiss of CCML Baywatch Foundation and Council of Leaders (COL) member of Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM), demanded a stop to the mining operations in the municipality.

“We have been experiencing this kind of flooding in the past five or more years. Moreover, with climate change and the degradation of the environment due to mining, we fear that worse flooding will become a normal occurrence,” she said. “Mining operations in the Carac-an Watershed Forest Reserves must stop in order to lessen the impact of climate change catastrophes.”

Jaybee Garganera, ATM National Coordinator, called on the DENR to investigate the flooding in Cantilan, among other areas with mining operations. “The flooding in Cantilan adds to the numerous mining areas that experience flooding. The DENR must definitely look into these negative impacts of mining and order a stop to mining in the affected communities,” he said.